


What Needs to Be Done

by OhanaHoku



Series: Whumptober 2020 Prompts [14]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Branding, Burns, Gen, Hurt Porthos, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Light Angst, Mild Blood, Minor Injuries, October Prompt Challenge, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Porthos Whump, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Protective Athos, Protective Musketeers, Short One Shot, Slave Trade, Slavery, Tumblr Prompt, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, Worried Aramis, no.14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:28:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27104251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku
Summary: Porthos is taken by a slave trader. Will the others rescue him in time?Day Fourteen of Whumptober 2020 - Is Something Burning? - Branding
Relationships: Aramis | René d'Herblay & d'Artagnan & Athos | Comte de la Fère & Porthos du Vallon, Athos | Comte de la Fère & Porthos du Vallon
Series: Whumptober 2020 Prompts [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949965
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15
Collections: The Musketeers Whumptober





	What Needs to Be Done

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sternenblumen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sternenblumen/gifts).



> This fic is gifted to sternenblumen for the warm welcome they gave me into this fandom. <3 Thank you again for the kind reception you gave my first Musketeers fic! I hope you like this one as well!
> 
> Triggers in the tags.

With a grunt, Porthos landed on his knees, shoved from behind. The movement jostled the wound in his stomach, and the musketeer could only hope that it didn’t cause it to start bleeding again.

“Ah, welcome, my dear musketeer!”

Porthos looked up to see a man dressed in a loose white shirt with frilly sleeves, tucked into black leather pants. He sized the man up, taking in the muscle hidden beneath his attire and the callouses on his hands. “And you would be?”

The man chuckled, coming to stand in front of Porthos. “My name is René Boucher, at your service.” He said, bowing with a slight flourish. He pulled back, gesturing to their surroundings. “And this is my workplace, you may call it.”

The musketeer glanced around the dungeon, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he noted certain aspects of the chamber. “You’re a slave trader.” He stated, looking up at him with a glare.

“Ah, not exactly. More of a slave trainer, actually. My brother Claude handles the business end of things, like selling and buying. I, on the other hand, am the one who ensures our merchandise is ready for our buyers.” René explained, pulling on some heavy gloves.

“You disgusting pig!” Porthos yelled, attempting to leap to his feet, only for the men behind him to hold him down. “You sell people as if they’re nothing but livestock!” He growled, settling down to save his energy, drained already from loss of blood. “With no concern for their lives and well-being. And I will make sure that when I get out of here, I will gut you like the pig you are.”

“My my, dear fellow. I thought musketeers were above such things. You live by a code of honor, do you not?” The slave trader asked as he pumped up the forge with a small bellows.

“No code of honor will protect you from getting your just desserts once I get my hands on you.” He said, testing the bonds around his wrists, though several previous tries had only chafed away at his skin.

His captor chuckled. "Well, we will break your spirit soon enough." He told him, setting a brand into the hot coals and picking up another to show the musketeer. "This is my own design, do you like it?"

The brand was fashioned into the shape of a cleaver, with a thorned vine crawling up the handle. Two small letters were next to the symbol, RB. "I think it rather suits my name, don't you?"

"I was wrong," Porthos muttered, looking up from the brand to his face. "You're not a pig. You're a monster."

René grinned. "Oh, I will enjoy this." He gestured to his men. "Chain him to the wall, and remove his shirt."

Porthos found himself shackled to the wall, arms outstretched with his chest pressed to the cold stone, his shirt having been ripped off.

"That is a nasty wound on your side, isn't it? I did tell my men not to harm the merchandise, but I suppose sometimes it can't be helped." René sighed. "No matter. I'm sure it will heal in time."

For the next few minutes, Porthos listened to the quiet sounds of the forge heating, the coals snapping and crackling, and the bellows pumping more air into the mechanism.

Then he heard footsteps coming toward him, though that was the only warning he received before searing hot metal was pressed against his shoulder.

The man let out a pained yell, closing his eyes tightly as the acrid smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils.

_-_-_-_-_-_

Hours later, when the pain was finally starting to fade, Porthos woke to the sounds of gunshots and swords clashing. A moment later, he heard his name being called. "In here!" He shouted, turning his head to watch the door.

Athos reached him first, closely followed by Aramis and d'Artagnan.

"Is Boucher dead?" Porthos asked before they could say anything.

"He is, along with his brother," d'Artagnan answered.

Porthos grunted. "Pity. I was hoping to do that myself."

Athos chuckled. "Let's get you out of here."

"My shoulder-" Porthos started.

"Will heal." Aramis finished, finding the key to unlatch the shackles.

"It will scar." Porthos snarled. "I will not bear the mark of that man."

"Look, let's get you out of here, and we can figure out something," Aramis said, stepping forward and reaching for the chains.

"Leave them!" Porthos ordered. He looked at Athos. "Please. You know what needs to be done." He murmured.

Athos held his gaze for a moment before nodding. "d'Artagnan, heat the forge, place my sword in the coals." He said, passing him the blade. "Aramis, go to the kitchens. Find wine, beer, anything to help numb the pain."

Aramis hesitated for just a second before heading off, and Athos stepped up to Porthos' side, laying a hand on his good shoulder. "Are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I can be," Porthos grumbled, leaning his head against the wall.

Athos nodded, and soon he was holding a red hot sword in his hand. "You ready, Porthos?"

The man, now sloshed with a full bottle of wine in his body, grinned. "Let's do this."

The three sober musketeers glanced at each other, and Aramis turned away. "I'm gonna need a drink myself after this."

Athos raised his eyebrows slightly, nodding in agreement before giving Porthos a final warning and holding the broadside of the blade to his skin.

_-_-_-_-_-_

When it was finally over, the brand obliterated and burned away, Porthos was barely conscious. Sweat glistened on his skin, and a small stream of blood was trickling from his side.

Aramis stepped forward. He unlocked the shackles and helped Porthos sit down.

Athos knelt next to him, and with a tired, yet grateful look on his face, Porthos reached up to cup the back of Athos' neck. He pulled him forward slightly, pressing their foreheads together. "Thank you, my friend."

Athos placed his hand on Porthos' head. "Just don't scare us like that again." He told him.

Porthos grunted slightly. "No promises." He mumbled before sighing, slowly lowering his head further to rest on Athos' shoulder.

Athos kept his hand resting at Porthos' nape and pressed his face to his hair. "Rest, my friend. You've earned that much."

d'Artagnan spoke up after a moment of silence. "I'll ride into town, find a healer."

"And I'll fetch that drink," Aramis stated, heading for the kitchen.

Athos chuckled as he watched them both leave. He would let Porthos nap a while longer before moving him to a bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Word Count - 1103. I stayed up til three am to write this last night, but I think the result was worth it! :D Let me know what you guys think, and have a great day/night! (And no spoilers in the comments, please! I've only seen the first season so far!)
> 
> While I'm a bit busy with Whumptober at the moment, I sometimes post fic recommendations on [ my tumblr](https://ohanahoku-ao3.tumblr.com/) between updates, so go check that out!


End file.
